Thursday, 21 August 2025

Mumbai: The City That Doesn’t Just Survive the Storm — It Feels It, Lives It, Breathes It!

Most people only see Mumbai as a place to hustle, to make a living, to survive. I get it. The crowds, the noise, the chaos can feel like too much. You wonder why people say Mumbai is a city of dreams” like it’s some cliché. But here’s the thing—Mumbai isn’t just a city. It’s a heartbeat. And you only really feel it when the rains come crashing down.

When the monsoon hits, everything you think you know about Mumbai changes. The trains? They stop. The roads? They disappear under water. The sea? It sneaks into the streets, blurring boundaries. But the city? It doesn’t stop. No, Mumbai doesn’t shut down, it slows down just enough to remind us that life here is messy, complicated, and wildly alive.

In those flooded hours, when you’re stuck—waiting, soaked, frustrated—you’ll notice something beautiful. People you’ve never met before will offer you a warm wada pav, the spicy, soft bite that tastes like home, like hope. Someone will pour you a cutting chai, its bitterness and sweetness hitting just right, as if to say, “We’re in this together.”

It doesn’t matter what religion you follow, what language you speak, or where you’re from. Mumbai’s soul is in that chai and wada pav shared on the roadside, in Parle G biscuits passed around like gold, in the simple sabudana khichadi offered with a smile despite the inconsistent supply of water or food.

And here’s the proof this isn’t just a story told in passing—it’s a legacy that keeps growing. Just recently, @bmcmumbai and railway officials have stepped up, distributing food and water to thousands stranded on trains stuck by the rains. Not just a gesture, but a commitment to Mumbai’s spirit—ensuring no one goes hungry, no one feels alone in the storm. It’s official now: helping the stranded is not just kindness, it’s Mumbai’s way.

And that’s why we Mumbaikars and people who belong to our tribe become voices for this city. They know the pain and the joy that live side by side here. They understand what it means to be stuck in a train station or knee-deep in water, yet never feel alone.

So, if you think Mumbai is just a grind, just a place to earn a paycheck, look closer. When the rains hit and the city seems to drown, you’ll see it—Mumbai’s heart. It’s alive, it’s messy, it’s full of kindness you don’t expect. It’s a city that might stop your trains but never stops caring, never stops living.

Because Mumbai, for all its chaos, is a promise. That no matter how hard the storm, there’s always a hand reaching out to you—offering wada pav, chai, and a place to belong.

Mumbai maza tuzyawar bharavsa hai!


Image Courtesy: Mumbai Rains: BMC Provides Food, Water, & Tea To Stranded Commuters At Railway Stations, Local Trains, & Waterlogged Roads | X|@mybmc

https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-rains-bmc-provides-food-water-tea-to-stranded-commuters-at-railway-stations-local-trains-waterlogged-roads



Thursday, 7 August 2025

Upcoming CFPs & Calls for Librarians and Information Professionals (2025)

If you’re looking to get involved in research, presentations, editing, or peer reviewing this year, here’s a curated list of exciting opportunities in the library, archives, and information science fields. These calls cover a wide range of topics—from AI ethics to institutional repositories, open access, and well-being in academia.

1. Ethical AI in GLAM — Collections Journal Focus Issue

Deadline: October 20, 2025
Format: Peer-reviewed journal articles
Focus: Ethical issues surrounding AI in Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAM). Case studies and reflections on digital stewardship encouraged.
Details: Articles up to 5,000 words. Contact Angela Fritz (aifritz465@gmail.com) and Juilee Decker (jdgsh@rit.edu) for info.


2. Journal of Business and Finance Librarianship (JBFL) — Call for Reviewers

Deadline: Ongoing
Format: Peer reviewing manuscripts
Focus: Business and finance librarianship across academic, public, and corporate sectors.
Details: Interested reviewers can contact Estephan at estephan2@icloud.com.


3. 2025 Medical Institutional Repositories in Libraries (MIRL) Symposium

Date: November 20, 2025 (Virtual)
Deadline for Proposals: September 5, 2025
Format: Presentations (20 min) and lightning talks (10 min)
Focus: IR practices, policies, platform migration, open access, and innovations in medical and health sciences repositories.
Submit: MIRL CFP
Contact: Steven Moore (smoore31@hfhs.org)


4. LOEX Fall Focus 2025 Conference

Dates: November 17–19, 2025 (Virtual)
Deadline for Proposals: September 5, 2025
Format: 50-minute presentations and 7-minute lightning talks
Focus: Artificial Intelligence, Archives & Special Collections, Sense of Belonging in library instruction and information literacy.
Submit: LOEX Fall Focus CFP


5. Ticker: The Academic Business Librarianship Review — Call for Articles

Deadline for Summer Issue: October 10, 2025
Format: Peer-reviewed and editorial-reviewed articles
Focus: Research and case studies related to business librarianship, with encouragement for early-career authors.
Submit: Ticker Journal
Contact: Ash Faulkner (faulkner.172@osu.edu)


6. OA25 Open Access Conference — Defend Research, Defend Open Access

Date: October 21, 2025 (Virtual)
Deadline for Proposals: August 1, 2025
Format: 20- or 40-minute presentations
Focus: Addressing government censorship, open access preservation, labor issues, and global perspectives on open research environments.
Contact: Dawn Hackman (dawn.hackman@sjsu.edu)


7. Humanities Methods in Librarianship — Call for Editors

Deadline to Apply: September 15, 2025
Format: Editorial roles
Focus: Publishing peer-reviewed research that applies humanities methods to library science. Open to diverse academic backgrounds.
Apply: Via form linked in the CFP or email editors@humanitiesmethods.org for info.


8. FACRL 2025 Virtual Conference — Well-Being in Higher Education: The Library's Evolving Role

Date: October 24, 2025 (Virtual)
Deadline for Proposals: July 11, 2025 (rolling reviews begin May 19)
Format: 45-minute presentations, posters, lightning talks
Focus: Innovative programs, spaces, and strategies promoting mental health and wellness in academic libraries.
Contact: Leah Plocharczyk (lplochar@fau.edu)
More info: Potential publication opportunity in The Reference Librarian.

Whether you want to share your research, contribute to open access, support well-being initiatives, or dive into the ethics of AI in libraries, these calls offer many ways to get involved and make an impact. Mark your calendars and submit your proposals — your expertise and voice are needed!